Innovative techniques drive researcher’s work – Alzheimer’s Association

“We are on the cusp of a breakthrough in terms of early detection, and that will take us to the next level in many ways.”
That is the confident assertion of Andrew Teich, M.D., Ph.D., two-time recipient of an Alzheimer’s Association New Investigator Research Grant, and assistant professor of Pathology and Cell Biology at Columbia University.
Dr. Teich is working on innovative techniques to examine how Alzheimer’s disrupts communications between neurons, which we know to be the physical basis for dementia. His work may lead to early detection as well as more effective treatments, and as someone interested in Alzheimer’s research, I wanted to share this exciting update with you.

“I am examining possible targets for therapeutic intervention that may lie outside of what is currently known about Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Teich says. Identifying such a target is the starting point for future therapies.
This is a critical time to invest in the fight against Alzheimer’s, according to Dr. Teich, who says that those who donate to the Alzheimer’s Association have the potential to “have a massive impact on society.”
Currently, at least 44 million people worldwide are living with dementia and there are no survivors. Fortunately, recent progress and current investigations hold great promise, thanks to the support of loyal friends like you.
We hope you will give generously today to help the Alzheimer’s Association continue to provide vital services and programs for families living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and further critical research.

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Plan your future and help fight Alzheimer’s

When individuals make the decision to join the Alzheimer’s Association Founders Society, they know they’re investing in the fight against Alzheimer’s. They’re paving the way for future generations to live in a world without this disease.
Members of this elite society also know that a planned gift is a wonderful way to combine charitable giving with estate and financial planning. For many, like June Brouhard, the gift is also profoundly personal.
June’s beloved husband Todd died from Alzheimer’s three years ago. As the disease progressed, Todd depended on his wife for everything. Although it was difficult, she says, “I have no regrets. He was the love of my life.”
Decades ago, their romance began like a movie: College student June was walking arm and arm with a friend when a handsome young soldier hooked his arm through hers and gave her a twirl. That soldier, Todd Brouhard, became her husband in 1944 after he returned from fighting in World War II. The couple eventually retired and settled in to enjoy their golden years together.
One day, Todd wrecked his car — the first indication that there was a problem. After testing, doctors told the couple that “something was wrong with Todd’s brain.” June contacted her local Alzheimer’s Association chapter for information and realized that Todd likely had Alzheimer’s.
In appreciation for the support she received, June has included a bequest to the Association in her estate planning. She hopes her gift will help to find a cure for Alzheimer’s: “I want to make sure that others won’t have to go through what we did.” Founders Society members make a world of difference in our ability to battle this devastating disease — today and in the future. If you share our vision of a world without Alzheimer’s, please remember the Alzheimer’s Association in your will or trust.

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Alzheimer’s Association Is Founding Steering Committee Member of Newly Formed Accelerating Medicines Partnership

Today in Washington, DC, a major new partnership was announced to speed the discovery phase of the drug and diagnostics development process – the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP).

AMP is a bold new venture of government, industry and leading non-profits, working together to increase the number of new therapies and diagnostic tools, and to reduce the time and cost of developing them. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), biopharmaceutical companies and non-profit organizations, including the Alzheimer’s Association, will collaborate to radically improve the efficiency and process for identifying and validating promising disease targets for drug design in order to improve the chances for success.

AMP will begin with several pilot projects in three disease areas: (1) Alzheimer’s disease, (2) Type 2 diabetes, and (3) the autoimmune disorders of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

A critical component of the partnership is that industry partners will make the AMP data and analyses publicly accessible to the broad community of researchers. Other innovative aspects of this project for Alzheimer’s include:

• Incorporating novel biological markers into three ongoing Alzheimer’s prevention trials, thus allowing a direct comparison in the ability of multiple markers – more than ever before – to track the progression of very early stage Alzheimer’s and potentially to predict clinical benefit of a therapy.

• Creating the first comprehensive proteomics database of the normal human brain, as well as “proteomics signatures” of Alzheimer’s and other degenerative brain diseases. Proteomics generally refers to the large-scale experimental analysis of proteins. The two hallmark brain lesions of Alzheimer’s – amyloid plaques and tau tangles – are both related to problems with proteins.

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Dress Casual for a Cause

In our Casual for a Cause program, a company encourages its employees to dress down or wear jeans for a day—or longer—in exchange for a small donation of the company’s choosing to the Alzheimer’s Association. The Alzheimer’s Association can provide company representatives with stickers to denote employees’ participation or participating businesses can use one of their own.

In our Casual for a Cause program, a company encourages its employees to dress down or wear jeans for a day—or longer—in exchange for a small donation of the company’s choosing to the Alzheimer’s Association. The Alzheimer’s Association can provide company representatives with stickers to denote employees’ participation or participating businesses can use one of their own.
“At Bankers Life we are very proud of our 12-year relationship with Alzheimer’s Association because it provides us with an opportunity to raise awareness of a disease that has a significant impact on our customers, their families and our employees,” said Scott Perry, President of Bankers Life and Casualty Company and Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Illinois Chapter Board Chair. “We do a Casual for a Cause event every year in association with Forget Me Not Days, Bankers Life’s national charitable giving campaign for the Association. It is one of our top fundraisers for the Chapter and gets the entire company involved to show their support for Alzheimer’s disease awareness.”
For more information, contact Lisa Lee, Vice President, Development, at llee@alz.org.

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An active lifestyle using Charity Miles can benefit the Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association is pleased to join Charity Miles as one of the fitness app’s charity partners. Charity Miles is a free iPhone/Android app that enables people to raise funds simply by walking, running or biking. Using the app, walkers and runners raise 25 cents per mile, and bikers earn 10 per mile for their favorite charities.

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